Inspection Detail

Inspection: 306025669 - Watlo Home Improvement Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employees were removing old slate shingles and replacing them with faux slate shingles on a three-story Victorian style single family residence. The employees had been working on-site for approximately three weeks. On January 2, 2003, Employee #1 and a coworker were going to work on the southwest quadrant of the roof. Both employees had ladder and fall protection training and were wearing full body harnesses. At this point the ground to eave height was approximately 28 ft and the ground was covered with old shingles. The pitch for this portion of the roof was 12-in.-by-12-in. with an 18-in.-by-12-in. dormer. An aluminum extension ladder was used to access the roof. The ladder was properly placed and tied to the eave. Anchor points and safety ropes had not been removed previously, so they were already in place. When Employee #1 ascended the ladder, he noticed that his safety rope was tangled in the ladder. As Employee #1 was trying to free the rope, his foot slipped through the ladder and he fell backward approximately 25 ft to the ground. The coworker had his back to the ladder and turned around when he heard Employee #1 yell. Employee #1 suffered a fractured femur and cracked C2 vertebra and was hospitalized.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ROOF, LIFELINE, STUCK, LADDER, SLIP, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, VERTEBRA, LEG